Peace Out, Bro!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… - Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

In our FOTS study on love, we discussed how two aspects of love come into play as we develop and display the FOTS – loving God with our whole heart AND loving others. Similarly, we will look at two aspects of Peace – peace with God AND peace of God.

Every one of us has rebelled against our loving creator God (Romans 3:23). From as early as the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3, and throughout Scripture, we read that the punishment for our rebellion is death or spiritual separation from God. But wait, there is Good News!

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty of death that we could not pay, and through faith, we can have peace with God. Paul describes it this way in Ephesians 2:13 – you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

True and lasting peace in life is only available to those who have first made peace with God by being justified by faith in Christ Jesus. If you have not made this step of faith, you can do it right now by admitting to God that you have disobeyed Him and by telling Him that you are trusting in Christ alone to forgive you and give to you eternal life with Him. If you just did this, welcome to the family of those who have peace with God.

The second aspect of Peace is the peace of God. Experiencing and displaying the peace of God is a lifelong process of sanctification by God’s Spirit as we walk by faith. Another well-known Scripture passage, Philippians 4:6-7, reads, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Even in a competitive arena, believers can experience the peace of God that is so radical that it transcends all understanding – it is mind-blowing. Prayer is a critical step to receiving this FOTS. Notice that this peace calms both our hearts and minds. One final thought on this passage is that the verse before Philippians 4:6 ends with, the Lord is near. Jesus’ constant presence with us as believers – even in our sports – can lead to the peace of God growing in us and flowing out from us.

Training Exercise

Knowing yourself is the first step towards growth. This short training exercise will help you to not only include God in your pursuit of peace but will also help open your mind to the areas that might stress you out. We hope it will help you become aware of and sensitive to your own habits and allow the Holy Spirit to work in you.

1. Take a moment to think about and write down what tends to leave you anxious within your sport (or life).
2. Write out a brief prayer asking God to help you grow more peaceful even in potentially stressful situations.
3. Consider memorizing and meditating on Philippians 4:6-7.